Elastic fluid turbine



ELASTIC FLUID TURBINE Filed Aug. 28, 195o 2 sheets-sheet 1 .OS canF`Jur/Egrem,

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ELASTIC FLUID TURBINE Filed Aug. 28, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor:

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Patented Oct. 25, 1932 UNITED A STATES lPATENT OFFICE vOSCAR,4JUN.C1`r("J`rKRFLN', OF lSCIIIEINECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERALELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW 'YORK ELASTIC FLUID TURBINEApplication led August 28, 1930. Serial No. 478,424.

This 'invention relates to multi-stage elastic Huid turbines, and moreparticularly to the construction of the inner vordiaphragm carryingshells therefor.

Due to uneven expansion and contraction caused by the .differences intemperature of the elastic iii-iid passing through an exhausthootd,stresses and strains are set up in the hood, ,and also in :theinner shell. Due to the factthat the upper half of the inner shell islmore flexible than the lower half, it may be Yformed as part of theexhaust hood, since, by reason of its flexibilityand design, it will not.be aected by the change in temperature of the fluid passing through theexhaust hood. Y'Ilhelower .half ofthe inner shell, however, is muchstierand more rigid than the upper halfduegto .the fact that it supportsthe weight of the diaphragms and by reason of its dif- ;ferenceindesign, yis not as flexible and therefore not as free to expandlandcontract as the upper hal-f. Differences in .temperature of theelastic fluid will therefore aect the respective portions `,of the shellunequally, resulting in uneven expansion and contraction of the shell,thereby causing undesirable strains and stresses, and tending to affectthe centering of the diaphragms.

The object of my invention is to mount the inner shell, or part of it,so that it will be supported independently of the exhaust hood and willexpand or contract freely.

For a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention,attention is directed to the following description and the claimsappended thereto.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a front elevation of the turbine with parts broken awaydisclosing the interior to show the arrangement of the shaft, buckets,diaphragms, inner shell and exhaust hood, as well as the guide for thelower half of the inner shell.

Fig. 2 is a section thru Fig. l on the line 2-2, parts being broken awayto show the guides for the lower half of the inner shell.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a section on line H of Fig. l.

Referring to the drawings the shaft l carries the bucket wheels 3, towhich are attached the buckets 2, in the usual manner, the shaft beingmounted for rotation vin the bearings 4. Between the ,bucket wheels arethe .diaphragms 5 carrying the usual nozzles 6.

The diaphragme are mounted on the inner shell 7, which as shown in thedrawings is vdivided horizontally at 8 into an upper half and a lowerhalf. The shell is further divided centrally along a vertical axis intoright and left hand ,portions as shown at 9. The exhaust hood 10 isdivided similarly to the inner shell to provide ease in assembling.

As shown in Figs. l and 2, the upper portions ,of the inner shell areformed integral with Athe exhaust hood. In the present instance I haveshown the upper portion of the `inner shell .as comprising inwardlyprojecting Webs or walls 10a having portions 10o provided withrecessesor grooves into which .outer portions of the diaphragms project.With such an arrangement sidewise movement of the diaphragms relative tothe outer shell is prevented. The walls 10a near the center of theturbine define achannel for conveying elastic iiuid tothe first stage orstages .of the turbine. Furthermore, the inner walls 10a arecomparatively long and thin and thus provide for -flexibilityof theportions delining the recesses. This flexibility is further vincreasedby separating the inner, upper half lshell into a plurality of portions,in the present yinstance shown as comprising an outer portion 10c and aninner .portion 10d for each half ofthe double flow turbine. Portions 10cand 'lOZdefine clearances indicated at 10e.

Fromanother aspect, I do not provide a separate inner, upper half shellin the customary Ymanner but replace such .shell by means integrallyunited with the outer, upper half shell for maintaining a definiterelation between the diaphra gms and the outer shell and for defining afluid supply channel to the first stagek or stages of the turbine. Thisis an important feature of my'invention as it provides fora lightconstruction of the upper turbine parts. The lowerportions 11 of theshell are held together bybolts l2, and -formed separate from the hood,but supported by the lower half' thereof, being provided with shouldersvat relatively low cost.

or ledges 13 which serve as supports for the flanges 111 of the innershell, see Fig. 2.

Guiding means, such as are shown in detail in Figs. 3 and l, areprovided to prevent side and end movement of the inner shell, whilepermitting movement of the flanges 14 relative to the shoulders 13.Sidewise movement of the shell is prevented by the webs 15 and 16 formedon the respective portions of the lower half of the exhaust hood, whichcoact with cooperating lugs, 17 and 18, formed on the correspondingportions of the lower half of the inner shell. There is also provided onthe exhaust hood a web 19, extending at rioht angles to the webs 15 and16, which coacts with pairs of lugs 20, 20, and 21, 21, on therespective portions of the lower half of the inner shell, to prevent endmovement of the shell. From the exhaust hood the iluid passes throughthe opening 22 to the usual condenser (not shown), the fluid beingadmitted through the usual conduits 28, 23. Arrows in Fig. 2 indicatethe direction ot' flow of l'luld through the turbine.

By the above arrangement and construction of parts, it will be apparent,that the inner shell is not constrained to follow or participate in thedistortions of the exhaust hood, due to changes therein, caused by thedifferences in temperature in the liuid passing therethrough, and thatthe lower half of vthe inner shell at the points where it is supportedon the exhaust hood, is free to move of its own accord relative to theexhaust hood and that the guiding means 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21,while permitting such movement of the lower halt' of the inner shell,will hold the diaphragms carried thereby in central position regardlessof the changes in diameter of the inner shell.

By my invention I provide a reliable construction for turbines capableof being built The weight of the inner shell is considerably decreasedby omitting a separate upper half shell and replacing same by meansunited with the upper half of the outer shell or casing. Thisarrangement is particularly advantageous where the outer shell or casingdefines an exhaust hood for the turbine with lower portions of the hoodconnected to a condenser. In constructions of this kind it is customaryto have the weight of the condenser carried by the lower part of theexhaust hood. This necessitates that the upper turbine parts be made aslight as possible. The light and simplified construction of the upperportions of the exhaust hood and the inner shell also permitsmanufacturing of the turbine at low cost.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I havedescribed the principle of operation of my invention, together with theapparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof,but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is onlyillustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means.

Vhat I claim as new and desire to obtain by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates 1s:

1. In an elastic fluid turbine, a rotor comprising a shaft and bucketwheels fastened to the shaft, diaphragme interposed between the bucketwheels, a lower inner half shell for supporting the diaphragms, flangesprovided on the lower inner half shell, a lower outer half shellsupporting the lower inner half shell, and means provided between thelower shells to allow relative movement between them, a single uppershell fastened to the lower outer half shell and having flanges whichengage those of the inner lower half shell, said upper half shellincluding inwardly projecting webs having end portions provided withrecesses into which outer portions vof the diaphragms project.

2. In an elastic fluid double llow turbine, a rotor including aplurality of diaphragme, an exhaust hood having an upper portionprovided with inlet conduits for elastic fluid, an inner half shell,means provided between a lower portion of the exhaust hood and the innerhalf shell for permitting relative'expansion between them, websintegrally united with upper portions of the exhaust hood for definingan annular channel through which elastic luid is supplied to the irststages of the turbine, inner portions of the webs having recesses intowhich outer portions of the diaphragms project.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day of August,1930.

OSCAR J UN GGREN.

